Getting ready for the holidays

We are busy getting ready for the holiday break. We just finished reading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. We will compare the text version with the movie version as well as complete a learning contract with grammar, writing, art, and reading activities.
Online Questions and Activities

In math we are continuing to progress in our study of multiplication. Students who do not have their multiplication facts memorized yet will fall behind as we move into double digit multiplication and long division, so please spend time helping your child practice the facts at home. We do not spend much time at school practicing facts as it is expected that the children will learn their facts in third grade.

We have been working on our first science contract as we continue learning about Earth's changing surface.

Thanks to all who have volunteered to send in supplies for the Christmas party on December 18. Mrs. Johnson has taken over the planning and should be contacting you. Feel free to send in any treats, especially healthy ones like fruit and salami roll ups.

Don't forget the spelling bee Friday morning at 9:30. We will be cheering on our 3 girls!!

Hockey Day

A great time was had by everyone at the hockey game today. Here are a few pics from today's game.

Pink and Say

This week, we have been reading a wonderful story called Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco. It is a story about 2 young boys who find themselves as soldiers during the Civil War. The story deals with very serious issues and I thought that Veterans Day week would be a great time to talk about these things. You can click here for a game on the vocabulary from the story.

Our Cyclones field trip is next Tuesday. I still have a few students who need to have their permission slips turned in. Please do so immediately.

We have finished our unit on plants in science and will be moving on to weathering and erosion of rocks and soil. Watch the Friday Folder reports for any materials we may be requesting help on for science labs.

Our next literature project is a biography report. The "hero sandwich" project was sent home Friday afternoon. Students may complete an additional project on their own for extra credit.

Thanks to all those who made it out to conferences and the program this week!!

Story Skeleton Confusion

Apparently there was a little confusion about the story skeletons. I told the students they could do the story skeletons as their mystery literature projects. They can choose to do something else instead, I just wanted to give them this as an option.

Also, we have 2 field trips coming up. The first is next week's trip to Chiloh Lock. The second is the Cyclones hockey game. Make sure you return the permission slips and fees ASAP.

Important papers in Friday Folders

Parents, please look for some important papers in your child's Friday Folder this week. First, the information about the Washington D.C. trip will be coming home on bright pink paper. The paper includes a sample itetnerary on one side and the deposit form on the back. The cost is $399 per person. A $50 deposit per person is due by October 26th. No deposits will be accepted after this date. Deposits will be taken on a first come, first serve basis. Last year we had to turn some people away because we had too many for one bus, but not enough for 2 buses. Deposits will be numbered and dated as they come in. Any questions, please let me know.

We are also planning a field trip to the Museum Center for Wednesday, September 30th to see the Lewis and Clark movie and the Natural History Museum. Information about cost and chaperoning will be on the form.

Sept. 11th

Today we had a moment of silence to honor the lives lost on September 11, 2001. I also read a book about what happened that day so the students knew why we had taken a moment of silence.

Friday Folder reports are going home today. Some students have some missing work from this week written on the form. Also, several graded papers are going home. Students are permitted to correct and return papers they earned a D or F on. We will record the average of the 2 grades. Several papers I have requested students correct and return. Students will have one week to correct and return a paper.

Walk a thon collecting kicked off today. Students will be coming home with information about that.

Have a great weekend!!

AR up and ready to go

Today we finished our STAR testing to help determine reading levels, so students are ready to begin taking AR tests. Students will be expected to complete one AR test each week unless otherwise discussed with me. Students are given 30 minutes each day at school for AR reading.

Just a reminder there will be a spelling and reading test tomorrow.

Fun Lewis and Clark links

We are reading Lewis and Clark and Me in reading class. This story is told from the point of view of Seaman, a dog Lewis bought before his journey west. Here are some fun links to go along with the story.

Lewis and Clark go west
Journal entries
Lewis and Clark Coloring Book
Kid Activities

Ordering Book Clubs Online

You can now place your Scholastic Book Clubs orders online!

Browse all the great monthly Book Club selections at low prices and order online. Plus, our class earns a FREE book every time a parent orders online.

Here’s how it works:

1. Use the information below to access the Scholastic Book Clubs Web site.
2. Browse the titles with your child and place your order with your credit card.
3. Your order will come to me, and your credit card payment will go directly to Scholastic’s secure server. There’s no need to send money to school.
4. After I submit the entire class order to Scholastic, your order will be delivered to our classroom for your child to take home.

To get started, go to the Web address below and enter our class’s personalized user name and password in the sign-in fields on the right side of the page. Note: You do not need to create your own user name and password.

www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
User Name: cnethompson
Password: rocket

Ordering online is the most convenient way to use Scholastic Book Clubs. You can order anytime, right up until the online order due date. You’ll also get instant access to over 500 additional titles plus online-only specials and discounts.

And don’t forget: Every time a parent places an order online, we earn a FREE book for our classroom library!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Great first day!!!

We have come to the end of a great first day!

Please remember to bring these things tomorrow:

• signed forms
• water bottles
• healthy snacks
• pictures/magazines/stickers to decorate journals

Homework folders and planners should be returned to school each day.

Schedules

This year our special schedule will be:
Monday: Music
Tuesday: Art
Wednesday: Gym
Thursday: Library and Music
Friday: Gym

Our lunch will be at 1:20 which is very late! You are welcome to bring a healthy snack each day with you to school.

Welcome Back!!

Well, it is hard to believe that our summer is over and we are already looking at a new school year. You will be getting lots of information this week. Please be sure to read over everything and let us know if you have any questions.

Remember that we have an Open House on Tuesday from 5-6pm. We will have a Parent Information Meeting next week on September 1st. This will be an opportunity to hear about what your child will be experiencing in 4th grade.

I am attaching a picture of one of the great things I got to do this summer. I have been working on my masters degree and I got to take a field trip to the zoo. We got to go into the elephant exhibit. IT WAS SOOOOO COOL! The elephant rubbed her trunk on my leg and got mud all over me. I didn't wash it off all day!!

Looking forward to seeing all of you this week!

Happy Summer

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. I am looking forward to meeting all of my new 4th graders next month!!

Field Day

I am so proud of our class. We did a great job today and earned 3rd place overall in field day! Best of all, we had a great time (as you will see in some of the conditions of your children when they get home). There will several muddy places in the field and some of our students seemed to find them easier than others!!

As we are winding down the school year, we have some things to look forward to next week. On Tuesday, our 4th quarter Rocket Clubbers will be having their celebration. On Wednesday, the students who earned Rocket Club all year (Chey, Renee, and Caleb) will get a special treat at Country Crus'n. Thursday is our last day of school and the PTO will be providing a hot dog lunch for everyone.

It has been my pleasure to spend the year with your children. We had some great characters in the class this year and they made things interesting (and fun) each day. I look forward to peeking in on them as they move to the middle school next year.

Thanks for a great year!!!!

2 weeks left

Hard to believe we only have 2 weeks left. There is a lot going on in those 2 weeks. Our weather is getting much warmer, especially in the classrooms. Students are permitted once again to bring water bottles.

On Thursday we will take the students to the middle school for a short tour so they can get an idea of what to expect next year. Permission slips are coming home today and need to be returned immediately so that students can go on Thursday.

Friday afternoon is our field day. Make sure you are dressed appropriately so our class can do well!

Next Tuesday is the 4th quarter Rocket Club. Wednesday the students who have made it in Rocket Club all year will get a special celebration. Students last day is Thursday the 4th.

Big Week

This week there is a lot going on!! We will have students going in all different directions. A good time is sure to be had no matter where you end up!

Washington DC travelers need to be sure to be at the school by 4:45 am. The buses will leave promptly at 5:00am with or without you! Be sure to wear your red t shirt on Wednesday.

Camp Campbell Gard students will leave once they get to school promptly at 8:45. Please be sure to have a good breakfast. Be sure to dress for the weather. GYMS SHOES OR BOOTS ONLY, no flip flops or sandals. Lunch and dinner will be provided.

Students staying here this week can plan on lots of fun activities. Bring your beach towels on Wednesday for an outdoor silent reading time! Other fun activities are planned, so stay tuned!

What was I thinking!?!?

No, your children are not fibbing. I forgot to send home interim reports on Friday and I was out yesterday getting tests done at the hospital (still having some trouble with that pesky salmonella). They will be going home today!!

Our school is having a Box Tops for Education contest. The class that collects the most Box Tops by May 22 will earn a popsicle and extra recess. Each box top is worth 10 cents. If each student brings in 10 box tops per week for the rest of the year, our class could collect almost $100. Just imagine if we had been collecting these all year! All money collected this year will be used to refurbish and replace our outdated library books.

Where oh where has Mrs. Thompson gone?

Well, I am sure many of you are wondering where I have been. I can assure you I am not taking an extra week of vacation. I some how contracted salmonella poisoning have have spent the last week a very, very sick puppy. I have been to the hospital and doctor. I am happy to say that the symptoms are starting to lessen. I am hoping to be back at school on Monday for our first day of OAT testing.

Don't forget about our field trip to see the Disney Earth movie. For the trip to the theater on May 7 we will leave school at 9:15. The movie starts at 10 am with ten minutes of previews, and the show will be over at 11:40. We will come back to the Elementary school around 12:15 and eat lunch here as usual. The concession stand will be open! Yum! There is also a neat website and lots of activities at www.disney.com/earth.

I hope everyone enjoys this gorgeous weekend and is well rested for the big test next week. Please be sure to be at school every day on time.

Wow, where did the time go?

I am such a bad teacher! I can't believe 2 weeks has gone by since my last post! Sorry about that!

Last week we finished our weather unit in science with some great air pressure activities. For explanations on those activities, visit Mrs. Putnam's blog at http://mrsputnam.blogspot.com/
She always has great math games on there, too. This week, we have been working on a mini unit on Ohio inventors. We have asked ourselves these questions:
Who was the inventor and what did he/she invent?
How did the invention(s) change the lives of people?
How did the invention(s) contribute to the growth of the nation?

We will be spending LOTS of time preparing (not cramming) for the OAT tests happening at the end of this month. We will be working on how to get the most points by answering questions correctly and completely.

When we return from spring break, we will spend some time on erosion and weathering of rocks in science. Watch the Friday Folder for possible items we might need for labs.

I hope everyone has a great, safe spring break next week!!

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather this week while it lasts!

Mrs. Putnam and I will be presenting at a national conference this week. We will be out of the building Wed. - Friday. We will have a great sub, Mrs. Radtke all 3 days. She has been here before and is very familiar with our class.

In science, we will work on contracts for 2 days and then review some weather concepts. We might even sneak in a game of Weather Bingo.

In reading, my reading group will finish Watson's and move onto the regular weekly story, Encyclopedia Brown.

Since I will be out this week, I am moving the literature project due date to Monday March 23rd. Students who finished this week will receive extra credit.

Updates

Attention: Washington D.C. trippers-Trip money in the amount of $375 should be turned in by March 20. Do NOT send the money to school. It should be taken/sent to Croswell's.

Mrs. Thompson's reading group is still reading Watson's. Mrs. Wood and Mrs. Humble's reading selection this week is Seeker of Knowledge.

Seeker of Knowledge Matching vocabulary

Hieroglyphics

Seeker of Knowledge powerpoint

We are moving right along in science having started another contract, this time on clouds and precipitation.
Cool weather sites!
Online books:
Do You Know That Clouds Have Names?
Take a Cloud Walk
Songs:
The Weather Dude
Head in the Clouds
Why Is It Raining Raindrops?
Other:
Free Weather coloring book
Powerpoint-how clouds and precipitation form

Precipitation
Flashcards
Study Table
Matching
Bug Match

The next literature project will be due on March 17, 2009. The genre is historical fiction.

For more information:
The Best Kids Book Site
Historical Fiction in the Elementary Classroom
Guiding Questions
Project Ideas
More Ideas

Project Idea: Artifact Box
Purpose:
To create a box filled with (7 - 10) artifacts that help retell the story. Each artifact must represent an event in the story.
Directions:
1. Select a book for your report that fits the genre-historical fiction.
2. As you read the book, keep a list of (7 - 10) important events that the main character deals with in this story.
3. After you finish reading, look at your list and start looking for things around your house that you could use to as artifacts for the different events.
4. Once you have found your artifacts number each artifact in order that it happened in the book.
5. Next write a letter to the "Finder of the Box" explaining what each artifact is and what event it represents. Remember you are writing this letter as the main character from the book. Here is an example;
Dear Finder of the Box,
My name is Joey and I had an exciting adventure in my story titled, Little House on the Prairie. If you look at the artifacts, you'll see reminders of all the important events from my story. Artifact #1 is................
Continue writing your letter until every artifact is explained and the story is revealed. Remember to sign your letter with the character's name.
6. Place artifacts and letter in a box of your choice. The box should be decorated and reflect your story's theme. On the cover of the box include the title of your book, its author, and your name.

Back on schedule

This week, we have worked hard completing the Stanford Achievement Test. Next week, we will hopefully be back on a regular schedule.

In science, we will wrap up our water cycle centers. Student have done a great job with these centers. When these are finished, we will move onto clouds. We will talk about the major types of clouds and the weather that accompanies them.

In reading, we will be working on a novel unit. My reading class will be reading Watson's Go To Birmingham, 1963. This is a great story set around the civil rights struggles of the 60's. It is one of my favorites.

Meet Lucy

This is our new puppy, Lucy. My sister found her and her brother on the side of the road hiding under a rock. She found a home for the brother and we have adopted Lucy. I thought you all would like to see her!!

So much for normal!!

Maybe we will get back to normal in May!!!

We are going to do the spelling and reading from last week this week. We are excited about having Local 12 meteorologist John Gumm coming to talk with us on Friday afternoon.

Here are some fun links for the water cycle.
Droplet and the Water Cycle Game
Make a Water Cycle Wheel
Thirstin's Question and Answer Game
Drinking Water Bloopers

Back to normal, maybe....?

We are excited about getting back to our normal schedule this week. It looks like Mother Nature might put a crimp in our plans for a normal week. We will have to wait and see!

Last week we sent home the practice OAT tests the students took. They were the released tests from previous years. Please look over them with your child.

In reading we will be reading The Houdini Box. Our team will give the reading test on Friday with the spelling test.

In science, we will continue our unit on weather. We will be having an assembly next Friday with Local 12 meteorologist John Gumm. John has been to CNE for the last few years and is always very engaging and educational for the students.

Conference forms were sent home with report cards. If you would like a conference with myself, Mrs. Humble or Mrs. Wood, please return the form ASAP. We are working on scheduling them.

OAT Practice Test Week!

This week students are taking the practice Ohio Achievement Tests in Reading (Monday), Math (Thursday) and Writing (Friday). There is are released tests and a practice test accessible online if you visit the Ohio Department of Education website. The tests will be sent home after they have been scored. Students who earn a 4 on the testing rubric every day of testing will earn a reward on Friday. To earn a 4, students must write in complete sentences, use details from the selection in their answers, and use their time wisely among other requirements.

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2009! We are back to work tomorrow! Check out the 4th grade website for calendar updates and this week's spelling words.

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday break! Don't forget that the next literature project is due on January 9. The genre: informational text-any nonfiction book that is NOT a biography or autobiography. Also, Jan. 9 is the end of the quarter which means that report cards will come home the next week on Jan. 16.